1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handheld device that allows a golfer to place a tee into the ground and set a golf ball onto the tee, all at a desired height above the ground, and once the ball is hit, to retrieve the tee, all from a standing position as well as to retrieve a ball on the ground. The device allows a golfer the ability to play a round of golf without the need to bend over.
2. Background of the Prior Art
The game of golf is a timeless game that is played by the young and the young at heart. Unlike more vigorous sports, such as basketball, soccer, or tennis, peak physical shape is not a prerequisite for playing a solid round of golf. Although golf can be played throughout one's life, even during one's later years as a person's health declines, certain aspects of the game can make playing a round of golf difficult and much less fun.
During the start of each hole, the ball is teed up and driven toward the pin. The golfer bends over and inserts the tee into the ground at a desired depth of insertion, places the ball onto the tee, and hopefully shoots a beauty straight down the middle of the fairway. Thereafter, the tee, or at least what's left, is retrieved and the game continues. Additionally, after the ball is sunk, the ball is retrieved from the cup and the golfer proceeds to the next hole. While these before and after round functions are routine for most golfers, they can be unbearably painful if not outright impossible for golfers who have certain ailments. A golfer with bad hips, knees, or back, due to such causes as arthritis, injury, or simple old age, may be able to hit the ball with reasonable force, yet be unable to bend down to tee up the ball or to retrieve the tee or the ball from the cup, without serious discomfort, to the point that the round of golf may be more trouble than enjoyment.
Some golfers overcome such limitations by hiring a caddy for a round of golf and rely on the caddy to perform any tasks that require bending over. However, not only are caddies expensive, very few courses maintain a stable of caddies. Some golfers rely on other members in the golfer's party to perform the tasks that that ailing golfer cannot easily perform. However, such reliance can be quite embarrassing for the affected golfer, and is not a solution for a golfer playing a solo round or for a golfer practicing on the driving range.
To address the problem of a golfer's difficulty in bending down to tee up and retrieve balls, devices have been proposed that allow a golfer to set a tee and place a ball onto the tee and retrieve each as needed, all from a standing position. Many modern interpretations of such devices rely on a “grabber arm” architecture wherein two or more grabber fingers at a distal end of the device are opened and closed via a golfer controlled handle located at the proximal end of the device. The ball or tee or both are grabbed by the fingers of the grabber arm and are positioned as needed. While such devices allow a golfer with certain physical limitation to enjoy a game of golf, such devices are not without their drawbacks.
Many such devices, while effective, are unduly complex in design so that manufacture of such device is relatively expensive, thereby narrowing the potential consumer market for such devices. Some devices are awkward to control so that grasping of the generally spherical ball can be tricky. Additionally, the prior art devices do not allow precision of the depth of tee insertion into the ground per the golfer's desired depth. While the tee can be eventually manipulated to the approximate desired height, such manipulation is awkward.
What is needed is a device that allows a golfer to be able to insert a tee into the ground at a desired depth of insertion and place a golf ball onto the tee for hitting, with the device allowing retrieval of the tee and ball as needed. Such a device must be of relatively simple design so as to be relatively inexpensive to produce so as to be affordable for a large segment of consumer market for such devices. Such a device must be easy to operate so that grasping of the spherical ball is quick and easy without undue drops or slips.